Kormend Rally Keeps Them Alive

27.11.2012

EUROCHALLENGE

Zvonko Buljan's double-double of 29 points and 10 rebounds sparked Körmend in their first win

Kormend rallied to pull out the win they needed over BC Timisoara to stay alive in Group F of the EuroChallenge, although the last 16 prospects of neither team appears particularly strong at this point.

Kormend were facing elimination as they trailed 70-58 late in the third quarter of this must-win game, having been behind for virtually all of the contest.

But Zvonko Buljan's three-pointer was the start of a 15-0 run that stretched into the fourth quarter and gave Kormend a 73-70 lead on Csaba Ferencz's driving lay-up with 6:59 left in the contest.

Dominique Archie tied it with a three-pointer for Timisoara but it was the last time they would be on level terms as Buljan's lay-up saw Kormend begin to pull clear.

Matthew Shaw put the hosts 82-76 up and after Marko Derasimovic and Zlatko Jovanovic missed back-to-back three-point attempts for Timisoara, Kormend began to ease away.

The gap was 93-86 with 48 ticks left following free throws from Archie, but although Vincent Simpson could only split a pair for Kormend, Buljan grabbed the rebound and Ferencz killed it off with a three-pointer.

Shaw poured in 33 points and Buljan had 29 with 10 rebounds to account for almost two-thirds of Kormend's scoring, while Ferencz had most of the rest with 19.

Robert Sarovic led Timisoara with 19 points while Jovanovic had 15, Delvon Johnson 14 and Archie and Derasimovic 13.